


Sold My Soul For A Smile (and all I got was this key chain)

by EzzyDean



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-03-24 15:38:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3774133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s Suga.”  Daichi says as if it explains everything and, well, if Kuroo really knew Suga it would explain it.  He leans against the door and sighs.  “You wouldn’t get it.”  </p><p>“Maybe I should just come over and see what the fuss is all about.”</p><p>“Oh please don’t,” Daichi mutters.</p><p>aka: That's the power of Suga.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Dude your boyfriend has you so whipped.”  Daichi groans and drops his head into his hand.  He really should know better by now than to answer his phone when it starts ringing obnoxiously and that cheshire cat grin pops up on the screen.  But something in him refuses to let him ignore the caller.  It’s a something that sounds suspiciously like Suga’s voice when it chides him and asks how he’d feel if it was a genuine emergency and he ignored it.

“Did you actually want something Kuroo?”

“Well,” it’s not the voice that drives him crazy, Daichi decides as he finishes packing his bag and hoists it onto his shoulder, it’s that smug laugh, “I was going to invite you to a captain’s date at the coffee house but since someone’s boyfriend fell down the stairs and needs to be babysat for the weekend I guess that’s out.”  He had stopped trying to get the other three to stop calling their get togethers dates when he realized that the only people who would agree with him that it was ridiculous were, in fact, mostly vice-captains - and his own vice-captain personally thought it was hilarious.

“Oh I didn’t know that Akaashi fell down the stairs.  Give him my regards.”

“Dude,” Kuroo hisses, “don’t even joke about that.  Akaashi did fall down the stairs and hurt his ankle one time.  He was a freaking tyrant.  I still have nightmares about it sometimes.”

“Good to know.”  Daichi locks his door behind him and starts out for Suga’s house.  His parents had plans for the weekend they couldn’t cancel and Daichi had promised them he’d be there to watch over Suga while they were gone.

“Besides I was talking about your boyfriend not Bokuto’s.”

“Suga is not my boyfriend, Kuroo.  You know that.”  He turns onto Suga’s street and watches the house grow closer as Kuroo snickers in his ear.  Some days he regrets agreeing to sharing his number with the other captains, regardless of the fact that he’s actually been comforted from time to time during their captain’s meetings by being reminded that they have just as many worries and insecurities as he does.

“So you deny that he’s your boyfriend but not that you’re whipped.”

“Is Kozume your boyfriend?”

“What?  No.  Don’t change the subject.  You.  Are.  Whipped.  Sweet little Sugawara has you wrapped around his finger.  He doesn’t even have a sprained ankle it’s just a little swollen yet you’re giving up your whole weekend to keep an eye on him.”

“It’s Suga.”  Daichi says as if it explains everything and, well, if Kuroo really knew Suga it would explain it.  He leans against Suga’s door and sighs.  “You wouldn’t get it.”  

“Maybe I should just come over and see what the fuss is all about.  Oikawa wouldn’t shut up about your “refreshing setter” the last time he called me to talk.”

“Oh please don’t,” Daichi mutters and then grunts when the door behind him opens and he stumbles backwards, dropping his bag and his phone to the ground.  He glares as he goes to grab his phone.

“Were you just going to stand outside on my porch all day, Daichi?”  Suga asks with a pout.

“I’d considered it,” Daichi grumbles and then frowns when he sees Kuroo disconnect their call before he can bring the phone back to his ear.  He has a bad feeling about this.

“That’s mean.  And here I limped all the way to the door just to let you in.”

“You really shouldn’t have done that.”

There’s a reason Daichi didn’t deny he was whipped when Kuroo teased him.  He is and he couldn’t care less.

–

Kuroo didn’t get it.  He could see, more or less, how Bokuto was so easily manipulated by Akaashi.  Though manipulated wasn’t really the right word.  He wasn’t sure whipped was either.  But there was no denying the fact that nine times out of ten if Akaashi wanted something or wanted to do something Bokuto was all over it.  And as far as he could tell Bokuto loved it.  He loved being a bouncing puppy showered in Akaashi’s affections.

Kuroo could even see how Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s borderline friendship/boyfriends thing worked out seeing as how they’d known each other practically forever and that the give and take was actually fairly equal between.  Despite Oikawa’s fluttery appearances he was just as willing to drop everything for Iwaizumi as Iwaizumi was willing to work around Oikawa’s wants.

But Sugawara.  He just didn’t understand how everyone was so drawn to him.  Had he missed something at the training camp and practice matches that the other’s didn’t?  He wonders about it as he takes the train with his overnight bag propped in his lap.  He could have missed something, he figures, since he was largely focused on provoking Tsukki when possible and doing all those extra practices with Bokuto.

He tries to figure out what exactly it was that seemed to enchant everyone else.

Sure Sugawara was nice to look at and be around.  Not subtly pretty in the way Akaashi was or outright charming like Oikawa was practiced at.  He wasn’t overly friendly and excitable like Hinata or Bokuto.  Nor was he reserved like Kenma.  He reminded Kuroo the most of Yaku but he didn’t see Yaku with anyone eating out of the palm of his hand, except maybe Lev and that was mostly because Lev was like that with almost everyone.

Kuroo tosses and turns the thoughts as he leaves the station and heads towards where he thinks Sugawara’s house is.

He knows it’s the right house when he knocks and Daichi’s distrustful glare answers him.

“What are you doing here?”

“If you’re not there the date’s not as much fun so I decided to come see you and to bring Sugawara these.”  He pulls a small bouquet of flowers with a small teddy bear holding onto the stems from behind his back with a grin.

“Daichi who was at the door?”  Sugawara calls out and Daichi frowns.

“Just a pain in the ass cat.”

“Oh I like cats,” Sugawara calls back and Kuroo grins even wider.  Daichi takes a deep breath, probably to tell Kuroo to go far, far away and then spins around when Sugawara peeks in from down the hall.  “Don’t make him stand there all day invite him in.”

“Suga!”  Wide brown eyes blink innocently at Daichi.

“What?”

“You’re supposed to be resting.  That’s why I’m here.  That’s why I answered the door.  So you can rest.”  Daichi hurries down the hall and leaves Kuroo in the doorway to toe off his shoes and close the door softly behind him.  Sugawara’s laugh makes Kuroo look up and he takes a deep breath at the way the light hits Sugawara’s hair and makes it shine, makes him look a little unreal.  Like Kuroo shouldn’t be looking directly at him.  He catches Kuroo’s eyes and smiles at him.

That’s it.  

It’s over.

Kuroo.  Is.  Screwed.

“Are those for me?”  Sugawara waves Daichi out of the way when he spots the bouquet in Kuroo’s hands and starts down the hallway towards him - why did he even buy it anyway it was supposed to be a stupid cheesy joke, a way to irritate Daichi even more, but the way Sugawara’s eyes light up when he sees the bright flowers and tiny teddy bear makes Kuroo’s stomach flip flop and when he meets Daichi’s eyes over Sugawara’s shoulder he can’t even resent the knowing grin slipping onto Daichi’s face.

A few steps away from him Sugawara winces and Kuroo suddenly remembers why he’s here, why Daichi’s here, and he steps forward to put a steadying hand out.

“Sugawara as much as I enjoy disagreeing with Daichi you really should be resting.”  Sugawara frowns a little and carefully takes the bouquet out of Kuroo’s hand, tilting his head down to sniff delicately at the flowers.  He leans ever so slightly into Kuroo’s touch and smiles up at him though there’s a touch of strain to the edges of it as he shifts his weight further off his swollen ankle.

“You’ll stay and keep Daichi and I company, right?”

“Of course,” Kuroo replies with a smile of his own before he can even fully register the request, practically before Sugawara even finishes talking.  Daichi coughs in a poor attempt to cover up his laugh at Kuroo’s almost eager response.

“And you called me whipped?” Daichi asks as he and Kuroo step into the kitchen for a moment after getting Suga settled on the couch in the living room, with his flowers on the end table and holding the tiny teddy bear above his head and looking up at it with a smile.  “You don’t even know him and he has you right where he wants you.”

“I’m not entirely sure what happened,” Kuroo mutters as he takes the bottles of juice Daichi hands him.  “One minute I was thinking how I was going to make fun of you for getting scolded by him and the next thing I know he’s smiling at me and, shit.”

Daichi laughs and pats him on the shoulder.  “That’s the power of Suga.  Welcome to the club.”

“Do I key chain for selling him my soul?  Cause I feel like I should have at least gotten a key chain.”

–

That night the three of them are curled up on the couch and Suga smiles contently as Daichi’s head drops onto his left shoulder and Kuroo’s messy hair tickles his neck from his spot on the right side of Suga’s chest.  He reaches for his phone, careful not to disturb either teen asleep on him, and gives the camera a sly smile as he snaps a picture.

 _You’re next_ , he captions the picture and sends it off.


	2. I Accidentally Joined A Cult (and I got a key chain?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'You're next' the message had read and as menacing as it sounded.... the actual implications were far more uncomfortable.

Every teenager, regardless of gender and sexual preference, who spent any reasonable amount of time with Sugawara Koushi would, undoubtedly, wind up having a some form of crush on him at some point in time or another.  This was a fact.  Maybe it hadn’t been scientifically proven yet but it was normal.  It happened to pretty much everyone their age.

At least that was what Tsukishima told himself as he did his best to avoid Suga’s knowing eyes for the fifth time that week.

“It’s only Monday,” Yamaguchi says as Tsukishima sidles past him and squeezes out of the gym while Suga attempts to break up an argument between Kageyama and Hinata.  An argument that Tsukishima may or may not have had a hand in starting.  “Are you going to avoid him all week just because you have a crush on him?”

“Shut up, Yamaguchi.  I’m not avoiding him because I have a crush on him.“

“It’s okay you know.  Everyone has one on him eventually.  He told me so himself.  Even I had a crush on him those first couple weeks of practice.”

“I’m not avoiding him because of my crush on him.”  Tsukishima snaps.  “I’m avoiding him because he’s not discouraging it at all.” Yamaguchi’s eyebrows raise in surprise as they step into the club room to change.  “I know!  In fact he sent me this when he hurt his ankle a couple weeks ago.”  He digs into his bag and hands over his phone after he brings the text thread up.  Yamaguchi snickers and then covers his mouth with his hand.

“Wow,” he mutters when Tsukishima snatches his phone back and tosses it in his bag.  “You’re next, huh?”

“Everyone else he just kindly let down if they approached him or he just kept being himself and let them work it out themselves.  But not me.  He’s teasing me Yamaguchi.  What the hell am I supposed to do with that?”  He yanks on his shirt and grumbles when the collar snags on his glasses.  “I mean how am I supposed to get over it if he keeps acting like he likes me back or something.”

“Is it so hard to believe that I might like you, Tsukishima?”

He spins around, yanking his glasses free from his shirt, and flushes when he spots Suga leaning against the shelves next to the door.

“I’m leaving,” he chokes out and hurries past Suga.

\--

_You know if you dislike Sugawara you can just tell him to stop and he will._

The message pops up on his screen a week later as he’s in the middle of texting Yamaguchi to explain why he was already late to morning practice.  He glares down at it.  The subject is bad enough but the person the message is coming from makes it that much worse.  Because it wasn’t frustrating enough that basically the entire team knew of his crush on Sugawara now he has to deal with the fact that freaking Kuroo knows too.  He’s not sure he even want to know exactly what happened between Kuroo, Suga, and Daichi.  He’s not sure he wants to open up that can of worms and delve too deeply into whatever relationship is apparently happening between the three of them.

_He doesn’t wanna do anything you’re uncomfortable with.  He just wants hugs and cuddles and love.  He’s kind of like a puppy._

Tsukishima actually snorts at that because a puppy is actually fairly accurate.  A devious scheming puppy but a puppy nonetheless.  Especially with those big brown eyes and innocent face that Tsukishima is finally admitting that he actually kind of likes.

_**I am not a huggy cuddly person.** _

Glancing at the time as he walks a little faster he debates if it is even worth trying to make it to school in time to participate in practice at all or if he should just skip and accept the punishment laps after school.  He can probably make it for the last twenty minutes if he hurries.  But then he’ll have to deal with at least five minutes of lectures from Coach Ukai, another five from the captain, and ten minutes of warm ups just in time to start cool down stretches.  He slows down and sighs.

_Like with anyone or just in general?  Cause I know you’re not a touchy-feely person with people in general._

**_I’m just not into hugs and cuddles and that stuff.  I don’t really like people touching me like that.  Any people._ **

Having a crush on Suga wasn’t a bad thing.  Not really.  He could do without the fluttery stomach when Suga laughed and the warm cheeks when Suga smiled directly at him.  He could definitely do without the feeling of accomplishment that surged through him when Suga tried to smother a chuckle at some of Tsukishima’s sarcastic comments.  But other than that it wasn’t anything too horrible.  He’s sure he could have had his first serious crush be on someone a lot more frustrating to deal with or a lot less understanding than Sugawara.

He just didn’t get why Sugawara wasn’t doing anything to dissuade his crush.  When Hinata had shattered the gym with his declaration of liking Suga the third year had smiled and pulled him to the side and after a couple days it was like nothing had ever happened.  When Yamaguchi had acknowledged his crush on him he had given Yamaguchi his space until he could get over it.  But he wasn’t doing that with Tsukishima.

And it wasn’t just because Tsukishima hadn’t actually confronted him about having a crush on him either.  Tanaka had shared just last week how Suga had somehow sensed his crush on him - back when he was just a first year and Suga a kind second year - before he had even realized what it was and had already started helping him get past it before he even knew what was happening.

But with Tsukishima he didn’t do any of that.  In fact it felt like he was playfully teasing him, making light comments about giving him hugs and sending pictures of him with Kuroo and Sawamura asleep on his shoulders with captions like “You’re next.”  Like he actually wanted to cuddle with Tsukishima.  Like he was actually interested in him.

_But just because you don’t want to snuggle with him doesn’t mean you don’t like him right?_

He checks the time with a sigh as the school comes into view.  He has just enough time to make it to his first class and review his assignment before the bell.

\--

Suga turns the chair around and slides into it, propping his elbows on Tsukishima’s desk and setting the box in his hand on the desk carefully.  He probably assumes it is Yamaguchi and it would have been if Suga hadn’t caught the first year in the hallway and asked if he’d be willing to let Suga have his lunchtime seat with Tsukishima for today.  Yamaguchi had given him a knowing smile and headed off.  Tsukishima doesn’t even look up from his lunch until Suga clears his throat.

Tsukishima’s eyes widen and he stiffens before slowly looking up and meeting Suga’s gaze.  He lets out a sigh and Suga smiles.  He’s never had to work so hard to get someone’s attention.  Oh, sure, he knows that Tsukishima has a crush on him.  Everyone has a crush on him eventually.  It’s just the way things seem to happen for him.  But he’s come to live with it and work with it and make it work for him.  

He’s never really been interested in dating and romance but he is more than interested in the attention and hugs and affection he can get from certain people.  Attention in general is nice, so are hugs and the like, but getting it from a few certain people just makes him so happy he could burst.

Daichi has been one of those people since their time as first years - he gives the greatest hugs Suga has ever had the pleasure of knowing.  Kuroo is quickly becoming one of those people as well - he makes an amazing pillow, Suga doesn’t understand how because he is all muscles and abs and biceps but he was made to be a pillow.  Preferably Suga’s pillow.

Tsukishima, well, to be honest Suga isn’t entirely sure why he’s so stuck on him.  But he is and he’d really like it if Tsukishima would either flat out tell him to stop or just give in already.  He’s not used to being the one having to struggle for someone else’s attention so much.

He slides the small box across the desk, nudging Tsukishima's lunch with it.  The first year opens it with a put upon sigh but Suga can see the blush on the top of his cheeks and the tips of his ears when he spots the large piece of strawberry shortcake sitting inside.

“A little birdy told me it was your favorite.”

“A birdy, huh?”

“Well more like a fluffy black kitten, but you know.”

“I don’t even want to know how Kuroo found out.”  Tsukishima fiddles with the edges of the box.  “Just because you’re giving me my favorite cake doesn’t mean I’m going to give you hugs and cuddles.”  Suga laughs softly at the way Tsukishima’s face flushes when saying “hugs and cuddles” and then sighs when he gets a glare.

“I even made sure there was a dinosaur decoration topping on it for you,” he pouts and Tsukishima flushes even more, eyes dropping to the cake and then meeting his again.

\--

Suga was sure he would never get used to the way that Tsukishima could vanish like that.  One minute Suga was trying to catch Tsukishima’s eye to ask him something and the next Tsukishima was gone.  The only thing Suga had done was glance to the side when he heard Tanaka drop a handful of volleyballs.  But in the few seconds it took for him to draw his attention back towards the bench where Tsukishima had been collecting towels and water bottles the first year had vanished into thin air.

He drops his bag onto the couch with a sigh.  It’s been over a month since he sent that text to Tsukishima.  Short of confessing to him - which he didn’t necessarily want to do because how do you confess that you just want cuddles and hugs when you’ve already told the person you just want cuddles and hugs - he isn’t sure what to do about Tsukishima.

If Tsukishima would just give him an actual answer, just tell him no or ask him to stop, he would in a heartbeat.  But he doesn’t.  He just gets that little blush and then avoids Suga as best as he can for the rest of the day.  Or he evades the question and disappears during some distraction or another.

Daichi told him to just give Tsukishima some time.  “He’s just a first year and before you say anything about me we were both first years and he doesn’t know you like I did.  He hasn’t had the chance to really know you and he not as simple about these things as, say, Kuroo.”

Kuroo, in his infinite wisdom, told him earlier that week that Tsukishima didn’t necessarily dislike Suga.  He just wasn’t into much in terms of physical contact.  So the hugs and cuddles and snuggling that Suga was all for was basically the last thing Tsukishima wanted.

Suga stares at his backpack and debates whether or not he wants to eat or start his homework for the weekend.  His decision is made when a knock comes from the front door and he happily leaves his backpack on the couch to answer.

He blinks in surprise when he opens the door and sees Tsukishima standing there with his fingers wrapped tight around the strap of his school bag.  He looks mildly uncomfortable, cheeks pink and eyes narrowing behind his glasses when Suga smiles at him.

“Would you like to come in?”  He finally asks when it becomes clear Tsukishima has no idea what to say.

 

Tsukishima clears his throat once they’re finally settled on the couch and Suga waits patiently for him to say whatever he needs to say.

“Look I’m not a touchy person.  I don’t like hugs or cuddles or holding hands or any of that stuff.”  Suga nods and smiles encouragingly when Tsukishima’s eyes meet his.  “But I do like you.”

“Okay,” Suga says.

“Okay?”

“Yeah.  Okay.  I like you too, you know.  Even if you don’t want hugs.  Which is admittedly a little unusual for me.”

“So now what?” Tsukishima demands, or at least Suga assumes he’s trying to sound demanding judging by the frown on his face.  But he mostly just sounds confused.

Suga shrugs.  “Now we turn on the tv and do some homework?”

 

Two hours later Suga feels accomplished when his parents come home and he’s stretched out on the couch with his toes wriggled and wedged under Tsukishima’s legs at the other end.  They’re in the middle of a debate on the best studying music, Tsukishima tossing a balled up piece of paper at Suga’s face in exasperation, their homework spread out between them, just as Suga’s mother steps into the living room.

“Is your friend staying for supper Koushi dear?”  She asks with a soft laugh as her son wrinkles his nose at the direct hit and she picks up the wadded paper with a smile before tossing it back to the boys.

Suga smiles invitingly.  “Tsukishima?”

“Uh, sure.  If that’s alright,” Tsukishima says politely.

“Of course, dear.”

“What are you laughing at?”  Tsukishima throws another wad of paper at Suga’s face, this time bouncing it off of his cheek and sending it somewhere towards the tv.

“I’ve just never heard you sound so polite, even to an adult.  It surprised me.”

“Shut up,” Tsukishima snaps. “I can be polite.”  His pink cheeks turn bright red when Suga laughs harder.  Suga digs his toes into Tsukishima’s thigh as Tsukishima sighs and shakes his head.  “Can we just get back to our homework or something?”

\--

Suga sends Daichi and Kuroo a picture of Tsukishima curled up on the other end of the couch, engrossed in the movie they were watching, with Suga’s feet tucked under his legs and Tsukishima’s arm draped over Suga’s shins.

**_Full on hugs and cuddles?  No.  Casual touching?  Potentially okay.  :D_ **

 

Tsukishima feels like he should understand the meaning behind the key chain that Daichi gives him before practice on Monday.  Other than the fact that it’s a dinosaur, which he needs to remember to throttle Kuroo or Yamaguchi for once he figures out which of them told on him, he doesn’t get why Daichi is smiling at him the way he is.  He kind of feels like he joined a cult or something on accident.

He glances up at the feeling of eyes on him.  Suga smiles at him and his stomach flip flops.


	3. Once You're In You're In For Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little look into the four of them growing together even more.

Suga bites playfully at the finger tracing his lips and Kuroo taps him on the nose.

“I wanna kiss,” he states and pokes Suga in the cheek.  Suga swats away his hand and shuts his book with a sigh.

“I don’t.  You know that.”

“I know.  I didn’t say I wanted to kiss you.  I mean I’m sure it would be awesome but you’re not into it.”

“Then find someone to kiss.  It’s not like any of us are really dating or anything.  We just hang out and I get copious amounts of hugs and snuggles to fill my cuddle meter.”  Suga runs his hand through Kuroo’s forever messy hair as Kuroo waves his hand in the air, gesturing around the room.

“I know we’re not.  But I like this.  I like where we all are.  I just sometimes feel like I want to kiss and maybe make out a little with someone.”

“Then go make out with Daichi.”  Suga gestures to the hallway where Daichi’s room was at.  It had been a logical step when they both chose the same university for Daichi and Suga to find an apartment to share.  As often as Kuroo was over it probably would have been even more beneficial to just find one for the three of them to share.  But there was always next year.

Kuroo sits up and stares at him as if he had just suggested the most ground-breaking thing ever.

“You think he’d be up for it?”

“Making out isn’t really anything we’ve discussed much.  He and I have kissed once.  Enough for me to know it’s not my thing.  You’d have to go ask him yourself for anything else.”

“But he wouldn’t get mad would he?  Like I said.  I like what we all have.”  Suga sighs and pulls Kuroo into a hug.  Sometimes he forgets that Kuroo is like him.  Just a guy who is trying to figure out this whole being an adult thing.  They’ve already gone off the course of “normal” in terms of their relationships so it’s not always easy knowing where they stand.  Which just makes communication even more important.

“Daichi wouldn’t get mad.  I promise.  If he doesn’t want to he’ll just tell you no.  If he tells you no you can pout a bit and come back for more cuddling and we can figure out where you go from there.”  Suga pulls away and looks Kuroo in the eyes.  “You’ll always have us Kuroo Tetsurou.  No matter what.  You’re kind of stuck with us now.”

Kuroo flops back into Suga’s lap and lets him go back to running his hand through his hair until they hear Daichi come back.  He tosses out a quick hello before heading to his room to change.  Kuroo gives Suga a curious look and Suga nods.

“Go.  Just tell him.  You know Daichi, Kuroo.  Just talk to him.”

Suga knows when Kuroo asks Daichi because he hears Daichi’s textbooks thump to the floor and he can almost imagine the blush creeping across Daichi’s cheeks.  He doesn’t blush prettily.  It’s a blotchy thing that’s endearing and spreads across his cheeks and down his throat.

An hour later Kuroo comes back with his hair considerably messier to tell Suga goodbye before he heads back to his dorm room.

And to tell him thanks.

\--

Daichi stretches on the couch with a groan, practically melting into the soft cushions afterwards.  It’s been a long few days and they’re finally done with everything.  Before long Suga comes out from his room where Daichi assumes he’s been unpacking and settles onto the couch, curling against Daichi’s side and watching him with those wide brown eyes.  He knows that look.  Rather well.  It’s Suga’s “I want to ask something but I’m not 100% sure how to word it” face.

“What did you need, Suga?”  He asks after a few minutes of scrutiny.  “Do I have dirt on my face?”

“No your face is fine, despite multiple volleyball’s attempts to change it.”  Daichi chuckles and wraps his arm around Suga’s shoulders, tugging him tighter against his side.  “No I just.  You’re always so,” he sighs and pouts when he can’t figure out what he wants to say, “so relaxed with this all.  Is this really okay?”

“What?  Getting an apartment with Kuroo?  Suga you know I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t want to.”

“Not just getting an apartment with Kuroo.  Just.  Everything.  Whatever relationship we all have.  Whatever’s between you and me and Kuroo and Tsukishima.  Are you really okay with it?”

Daichi closes his eyes and drops his head onto the back of the couch.  He can hear Kuroo thumping around in his bedroom, singing to himself to whatever music he has playing on his phone.  He thinks of Tsukishima’s sharp gaze, his quick mind, the way he and Suga exchange glances sometimes and get these twin looks of mischief on their faces.  He feels Suga curl even closer, as if he’s trying to crawl right into Daichi’s chest and steal his warmth along with his heart.

He’s loved Suga for years.  Probably since sometime a week or two into their first year of high school.

He’s quickly falling for Kuroo, though in a different way than Suga.  But that’s okay.  Because Kuroo understands.

He can see himself loving Tsukishima in, yet again, a different way than the others if he would be interested in staying with them all still.  He knows it can’t be easy for Tsukishima to be left behind while they all moved forward together.  But Tsukishima is thriving as a third year, as the vice-captain, as their friend.

“Koushi,” he says and he feels him stiffen against him, arms clenching tight around his chest.  “Why wouldn’t I be okay?  I’m here with my best friend, who I love deeply, in our apartment with someone who is quickly becoming my second closest friend.  Someone who I have liked for awhile and will probably love before too long.  The feeling is, I hope, mutual from both of those people and even better?  Both of those people care about each other too.”  He pulls Suga into his lap and presses a quick kiss to the top of his head.  “If I ever feel ‘not okay’ about this I promise you will be the first to know.”

“I just feel so selfish sometimes,” Suga mutters and buries his head into Daichi’s neck.  “Like I'm stopping you guys from living your lives the way you want.”

“You are selfish.  But there’s nothing wrong with that.  And, honestly, any life without you in it wouldn’t be one I want to be living.”

He can feel Suga’s cheeks flushing against his neck and he smiles at the waver in Suga’s voice.

“When did you get to be so smooth, Daichi?”

“Since he started hanging out with me,” Kuroo declares proudly as he bumps his knee into Suga’s foot.  Daichi opens his eyes.  He hadn’t even heard Kuroo come out.  “Got room for another in this cuddle session or is it a crow only pile for now?”  Daichi can see the concern on Kuroo’s face as he tries to catch a look at Suga’s face.  He can see how badly Kuroo wants to join them but he knows that if Suga doesn’t want it Kuroo will give them space.  Suga takes a sniffly breath and sticks his arm out for Kuroo to join them.

Relief flashes across Kuroo’s face and Daichi sighs as Kuroo crawls onto the couch and they get comfortable.

This thing they have isn’t going to be completely easy.  But it’s them.  It’s they way they are and he’s just glad that the two people he cares the most for in the world right now also care about each other so much.  He’s so lucky he’s here.  So lucky to be in love like this.

And he makes sure to tell them both.

\--

Tsukishima drops his keys on the table by the door, tiny dinosaur looking up at him with wide eyes and a scratch across the plastic of it’s nose.  He still feels a twinge of irritation at Hinata on rough days when he spots it.  Stupid Hinata trying to show off for the new first years by acting all tough with the vice-captain after their final Nekoma/Karasuno friendly game.  Just because he was stupid and insecure and trying show off for his boyfriend as much as he was for the first years.  Though, over a year and a half later, Tsukishima is mature enough to admit that he had more than his fair share of fault in that particular incident.

He’s changed the last few years.  He’s still an asshole - Hinata happily reminds him of this every time Tsukishima stops by the apartment Hinata shares with Yamaguchi - but he’s not quite the caustic first year who was more likely than not to just up and walk away from something, even if it was something he wanted.

Especially if it was something he wanted.

He sticks his finger in his key ring and rattles his keys back and forth a little, smiling softly at the sound they make bumping into the other sets on the table; Kuroo’s and Suga’s judging by the key chains, which means Daichi is probably at the gym still.  Kuroo’s keys have at least two decorative key chains hanging off of them at all times but they seem to change every few days, whenever Kuroo gets bored or feels upset over something Tsukishima thinks but he’s never actually asked.  Suga’s always has one decorative key chain: a volleyball with a heart in the center of it.  Daichi’s keys usually have a little crow and cat hanging from them, though the cat decoration falls off sometimes and they’ve spent hours on more than one occasion digging through the house looking for the wayward cat.

“Tsukki!  You’re back!”

Speaking of wayward cats.

He manages to slip out of his shoes and drop his bag onto the floor under the table before Kuroo snags his wrist and tugs him down the hallway towards the living room.  He gives Suga a polite nod as Kuroo pulls him through the living room and Suga waves at him with a smile as they disappear down the hall to Kuroo’s room.

Kuroo hands him a pair of headphones and waits impatiently for him to roll his eyes and put them on.

“This couldn’t have waited the five minutes for me to get inside and put my stuff away?”

“It could have.  But I didn’t want it to.”

Tsukishima shakes his head and settles onto Kuroo’s bed, swinging the cord of the headphones around impatiently.  “Fine.  Fine.  Just plug the cord in and let me hear it.”  Kuroo grins and grabs his phone from his nightstand, pulling up his music and getting it ready before plucking the cord from Tsukishima’s fingers and plugging it in.  Kuroo presses play and drops onto the floor in front of Tsukishima, eyes wide and eager as the music starts and Tsukishima closes his eyes.

It’s a thing for them.  Kuroo scours the internet for random music and picks out songs he thinks Tsukishima will like.  Or hate.  Or feel indifferent to.  It’s a game somehow.  He picks out random stuff and tries to figure out how Tsukishima will react.  Any language, any genre, words or instrumental, it’s all fair game for this.

Kuroo rests his hand on Tsukishima’s leg and when he doesn’t move to push him away he scoots a little closer, rests his arms across Tsukishima’s knees, and drops his chin onto them to watch his face.  He’s always enjoyed watching Tsukishima.  Watching the way he moves and the expressions on his face, carefully crafted to deliver the most effective points to his speech.  But watching him over the last few years has been the best thing ever.  Getting to see him when he drops his guard, when he forgets that there are other people or, preferably, when he remembers that the other people here care for him and are plenty willing to see everything about him and still be there.

When the song ends Tsukishima’s eyes flutter open and he gives Kuroo an unimpressed look which makes him laugh and bury his head against Tsukishima’s thigh.

“I didn’t think you’d like that one too much.”  Tsukishima flicks his ear and reaches for the phone but Kuroo shakes his head and pulls away to scroll through it.  “Here.  Try this one.  I think you’ll actually like it.”

“Anything would probably be better than that last one.  Unless you want to try to make me listen to Yamamoto and Tanaka singing a duet again.  Nothing short of fingernails on chalkboards would be worse than that.”  Kuroo laughs again and starts the next song.

The music starts and he closes his eyes again, Kuroo’s weight returning to his knees.

He still doesn’t like the same level of affection Suga has with the others.  The long hugs and cuddle sessions on the couch.  The sleeping together in each other’s beds.  Holding hands and nuzzling cheeks.  But he’s found that since he started hanging out with Suga - and by extension Kuroo and Daichi - back in his first year of high school that he doesn’t mind certain things.  The press of shoulders when they’re sitting on the couch.  Someone’s toes digging under his legs or hips when they all sprawl out to watch movies.  An arm dropped over his shoulder once in awhile.  A quick arm squeeze or elbow jostle.

Occasionally this.  The warm press of Kuroo’s chest against his shins and Kuroo’s arms draped across his legs.  Or sometimes it’s Daichi’s legs tangled up in his own while they study.  Or Suga’s head in his lap and playing with his hands and fingers while they watch a movie.

They don’t push it though.  Even Suga who is, by nature, a clingy, huggy person.  The moment they feel him stiffen or try to shift away they let him.  Kuroo a little more reluctantly and pouty than the other two sometimes but he still does it.

Sometimes, he thinks as the song ends and he opens his eyes and sees Kuroo’s smile, he thinks he might kind of love them all for that.


	4. Sleepless Nights

It didn’t happen very often, something he was incredibly thankful for, and luckily it had rarely happened when he wasn’t at home.  But there were times where it would just hit him and he knew within a few minutes of crawling into bed that it was a lost cause.

Some nights he just could not fall asleep by himself.  Sometimes, despite all his usual discomfort with physical contact and his preference to be left alone, he needed to hear the steady breathing of another person to fall asleep soundly.

It wasn’t as bad when he was younger.  Because then all he would have to do was wander into Akiteru’s room and fall asleep on the end of his bed.  He’d wake up the next morning with part of the blankets thrown over him and no one would mention it.  As he got older it got harder to deal with.  He couldn’t just crawl into his brother’s bed when his brother was gone and he wasn’t going to his parents.  It wasn’t really something he brought up to his friends so when these moments crawled over him he usually distracted himself with homework or a book until he either passed out at his desk or the sunlight crept into his windows.  It wasn’t ideal but it worked.

The last time it had happened had been sometime last year.  Not long after his last high school volleyball game ever he had come up to visit Daichi and Kuroo and Suga and hours after the others had gone to bed - Suga and Kuroo curled up in Suga’s bed and Kei given express orders to use Kuroo’s bed for the weekend - he had been stretched on the couch staring blankly at some movie.

Daichi had stumbled out and wandered into the kitchen and came back out with a bottle of water.

“Did I wake you up?”  Kei motioned to the tv and Daichi shook his head.

“No.  I was thirsty and thought I’d see who was still up out here.”

Daichi settled onto the other end of the couch and let his arm drop onto Kei’s legs when he didn’t shift away.  They watched the movie in silence until the credits rolled.

“I have trouble sleeping sometimes,” Kei muttered as the white letters scrolled up the dark screen.  His voice dropped into an almost unintelligible mumble.  “When I’m by myself.”

“That sucks.  Especially with the whole not liking physical contact much thing.”

“Sharing a bed has not gone well since I was too big to sleep at the bottom of one,” Kei admitted, eyes glued to the tv as the next movie started up.  “I always wake up feeling smothered.”

“Definitely avoid Kuroo then,” Daichi said and patted Kei’s shins, “he’s like an octopus in his sleep.”

“I would have thought that would be Suga.”

“Suga likes to curl up with you but he’s more of a drop his head on your shoulder and snuggle into your side sort of person.”

“And you?”

“I’ve been told I make an excellent pillow.”

Daichi sat on the couch with him and watched horrible late night movies, making comments under his breath that had Kei snickering and shaking his head, until they had both fallen asleep.  Kei had woken up with his toes tucked under Daichi’s thighs and Daichi’s arm still draped across his shins.  By the time he had gotten back from the bathroom Daichi was standing with a stretch and wandering into the kitchen to poke around for breakfast.

He never mentioned it to Kei or anyone else but Kei noticed that when he visited after that Daichi would often stay up with him until he went to bed, always brushing it off as a coincidence that Kei was watching a movie he had been wanting to see or they were in the middle of a game when the other two headed off to sleep.

 

It’s the first time since he moved with them into this house that he’s been unable to sleep.  The moment he stepped out of the shower and headed for his room he knew it would be one of those nights.  

Everything feels wrong and he’s on edge.  He shuts himself in his room and tries his best to get lost in his homework.  When that doesn’t work - his concentration is wavering after every couple of sentences - he flops onto his bed and pulls out a magazine.  Maybe the pictures will help dull the monotony of words.

Two hours and three magazines later he rolls out of bed with a groan.  It was easier to explain staying up late and watching crappy movies when he was spending a weekend away from home.  What would he use as an excuse on a Tuesday for being out in the living room watching horrible tv shows?

He didn’t even want to watch tv tonight.  He actually just wanted to sleep.  Sometimes it didn’t bother him to stay up all night.  A couple extra doses of caffeine and a late afternoon nap took care of any side effects of a sleepless night.  But he has a presentation in class in the afternoon and he really needs some sleep and it’s already nearly one in the morning.

Kei heads to the kitchen for a quick drink of water.  He needs sleep.  To fall asleep anytime in the next few hours he’ll need to at least be in the same room as someone.  Which means he needs to wake someone up and explain things to them.

Which he’d really, really,  _ really _ rather not deal with.  He doesn’t like sharing this with anyone.  Of everyone in his life he’s pretty sure that other than his brother, Yamaguchi is the only person who knows.  His eyes drift down the hallway towards the bedrooms and he sighs.  Yamaguchi and one other person.

He knocks softly on the door and manages to talk himself out of it three times in the minute or so it takes for him to answer.

“Something wrong?”  Daichi runs a hand over his face as Kei mentally talks himself out of asking a fourth time.  “You look exhausted.”

“I can’t sleep,” he blurts out.  He can feel the blush trickling across his cheeks and he does his best not to fidget.

Daichi blinks at him a couple times, sleepy mind trying to catch up with the conversation, and then he lets out a quiet laugh.  “Oh.”  He steps back from the door and gestures for Kei to come in.  “You can borrow some blankets and sleep on the floor or, if you want, you can sleep on the bed.  You won’t fit across the bottom but I promise I won’t cuddle in your sleep.  Once I’m out I barely move unless someone nudges me.”  He shuffles back to the bed and pulls a blanket off of it and tosses it to Kei before crawling back into bed himself.

Kei shuts the light off and debates a moment between curling up on the floor or trying the bed.  He really needs some decent sleep for his class and the mattress sounds like a better option.  He sets his glasses on the nearby dresser before slipping onto the bed.  He cautiously stretches out next to Daichi.  There’s just enough room that they have a little space between them and they’re under different blankets which helps.

Daichi falls back asleep quickly, body relaxing and shifting towards Kei only a tiny bit as his breathing evens out.  Daichi’s breathing is the only sound in the room and Kei focuses on it, matching his own to the steady pace and finds himself relaxing before too much longer.

The last thing Kei remembers thinking before he drifts off to sleep is that sharing the bed with Daichi feels a lot like having a warm pillow propped near his back.

He wakes up late the next morning with the blanket he had been using and Daichi’s blanket tangled up in his legs.  When he stumbles into the kitchen Daichi is sitting at the table arguing over some kind of training plan with Kuroo.  Suga shuffles in behind him and bumps his elbow into Kei’s before he heads to the table and drops into a chair with a yawn.

“Sleep well,” Daichi asks.  He swats Suga’s hand away from his plate and leans back to grab the two off the counter.  He slides one in front of Suga and hands Kei the second one.

“Better than expected,” Kei answers and gives Daichi a smile.  “Thanks.”


	5. Captain Dates Are a Time of Great Trials

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Captains meeting turns into war once somebody ask who's the prettiest setter.

“You know I always wondered.” Suga smiles and drops his head onto Kuroo’s shoulder.

“Wondered what?”  Daichi is cautious, which is wise because out of the three of them he’s known Suga the longest.  Tsukishima shares an almost worried look with him, which is fitting since he at least was on the team.  He understands the danger behind Suga’s smiles just a little more than Kuroo does.

“Well since I have two former captains here with me,” Suga glances around the room and Daichi feels his stomach drop and he tenses to stand up but Tsukishima nudges him and gives him a look.  “I thought it would be a good time to ask just what went on with your captain dates.  Oh,” he continues, “and I wondered if they kept going after you guys graduated.  I know you were only a vice captain Kei but you would know if they still happened, right?”

"They did.  But Yamaguchi never told me what they talked about and I never asked.”

Suga hums thoughtfully and then turns his wide brown eyes to onto Kuroo who looks a little dazed at the attention, like he almost always does still.  Not that Daichi can blame him any.

“Well?”  He asks.  “Care to share any juicy captain date details?  What were you sworn to secrecy or something?”  He adds when neither Kuroo nor Daichi answer.

“No,” Daichi answers, “it’s just, well, a lot of it was either just us talking about classes and practice and venting about that stuff or us being-”

“Completely stupid.”  Kuroo cuts in with a grin.  “And nine times out of ten either Bokuto or Oikawa started it.”

“And then drug Akaashi or Iwaizumi into it.  Like the fluffiest hair contest.”

“Oh yeah.”  Kurooo chuckles.  “Or the aliens versus dinosaurs debate.  Don’t worry Tsukki, Bokuto and I won that one for you.”  Tsukishima rolls his eyes but Daichi can see the pleased curl to his lips as he settles just a little closer to him on the couch, barely pressing their shoulders together while they watched Suga settle more comfortably against Kuroo in the chair they were sharing.

“The chocolate versus strawberry debacle.”

“Purple balls versus green balls.”

“Biggest bruise.”

“Hardest head.”

“Prettiest setter,” they say in unison and shudder.

“That was a long day.  I never saw Oikawa look so offended.”  Daichi laughs a little and shakes his head.

“Prettiest setter?”  Suga asks.  “Who won?”

“Unfortunately not you.”  Kuroo admits.  “Though if I knew you then like I know you now you would have won.”

Daichi sighs and drops his head to the back of the couch.  “It started when Oikawa declared his team had the prettiest setter.  Which Bokuto refused to accept because his setter was Akaashi and, well, I think we all know how Bokuto felt about Akaashi.”  Tsukishima snorts beside him and Daichi smiles.  Bokuto had no problems voicing his opinion of his beautiful, ethereal, graceful setter.

“Then they decided to put it to a vote,” Kuroo continues the story.  “And Oikawa declared that since he was both a captain and a setter his vote was worth double so he automatically won.  I decided that while Kenma was adorable he wasn’t really ‘pretty’ per se.  So I voted Akaashi.”  He wraps his arms around Suga and gives him a hug so tight it makes Daichi’s ribs hurt a little.  “Like I said.  Before I got to properly know you, Sweet Suga.”

“I voted for you,” Daichi mumbles and he can feel his face heat up when Suga smiles at him and Kuroo leers.

“Aw, Daichi.”  Suga coos.

“Yeah we were shocked.  Not only did we manage to get the strict, stoic Sawamura Daichi to actually participate in one of our dumb ideas we got him to admit you were pretty.”

“Anyway,” Daichi continues when he feels Tsukishima’s shoulders start to shake with barely concealed laughter.  “Bokuto voted Akaashi because he was, and I quote, the prettiest, bestest, and nicest.  And Oikawa pouted because none of us voted for him.  Then he called Iwaizumi.  Because ‘Iwa-chan would vote for me.’”

“Who did Iwaizumi vote for.” Tsukishima asks as he tucks his feet under himself, leaning against Daichi’s shoulder in the process and not moving away.  “Since I’m assuming he answered the phone.”

Daichi and Kuroo share a glance and grin, both remembering the wail of betrayal that had nearly gotten them kicked out of the diner they had been eating at that day.

“Kageyama,” they answer in unison.

 


	6. Sometimes We Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> themultifandomnerd asked: #52 "Can I kiss you?" for TsukkiSuga

“Can I kiss you?”

If the request had come from anyone else Suga would most likely have just given them a stern look and laughed that quiet laugh of his.  Because they know better by now, know his preferences and respect his choices.  But it had been from Tsukishima, asked quietly on a cloudy afternoon while they were seated on the couch with their legs tangled together and a textbook open in each of their laps, and when Suga glances up in surprise Tsukishima shrinks a little, blush high on his cheeks and across the tops of his ears.  He tilts his head and wonders a little, watches the blush creep down Tsukishima’s cheeks until his entire face is an adorable shade of pink that makes Suga smile in fondness.

“Why are you asking me?”  He finally asks when Tsukishima squirms and starts running his fingers up the corner of his book, pages catching under his short nails and making scratching noises.  “You know it’s not really my thing.”

“I know,” Tsukishima says quietly after a long moment, eyes darting to and from Suga, “I’ve thought more about it than I probably should to be honest.  Kissing in general I mean, not just you.”  He adds when Suga raises his eyebrows.

“Why not either of the other two?  They’re not going to push anything and they’d both be more than happy to indulge you I’m sure.”

Tsukishima lets out a sarcastic huff.  “They won’t push it I know.  But Daichi is,” he sighs and shuts his textbook, “almost too aware of me sometimes.  Too cautious and careful and I really appreciate it but I’m not sure I could stand being kissed like he’s afraid I’ll shatter under his touch.  And Kuroo, well, I don’t want to give him something he might not be able to have again.”

“That is incredibly sweet, Tsukishima.”

Tsukishima groans and drops his head against the back of the couch.  “Please don’t tell him.”

“Oh we all know you can be sweet.  It’s okay we don’t tell anyone else usually.”  Suga closes his own textbook and continues watching Tsukishima.  “You explained why not them, but still haven’t said why me.”

“You don’t have to let me if you don’t want to it’s okay.”

“Don’t avoid my question, Tsukishima, you know it’s frustrating when you do that.”

“Remember back when I was a first year and I finally told you that I liked you?  And you just said ‘Okay’ like it was the most natural thing in the world to accept?”

Suga smiles at the memory of first year Tsukishima blushing and frowning and confused as he declared that he liked Suga even though he didn’t like the touching and cuddling that Suga did.

“Yes.”

“That’s why.  You just accept it and go on.  You won’t pressure, it doesn’t freak you out, and you won’t treat me like I’m going to break.  You’re not repulsed by it you just aren’t really interested in general so I figured who better in this weird relationship we all have to do it with to see how _I_ actually feel about it?”

Suga watches the way Tsukishima presses his fingertips together in his lap and he can’t seem to focus on anything for more than a moment before his eyes slide over towards Suga and then skitter away.  He knows none of this has been particularly easy for Tsukishima.  Not that his friends, and team in high school, weren’t supportive.  They were but it was hard to sort out what you do and don’t like in a physical or romantic sense when you have to be extremely comfortable around people to even let them casually touch you without pulling away.  So how would Tsukishima even know if he would like kissing when he rarely even liked letting people into his space?

He also knows that as much as he rolls his eyes and puts up his guard Kuroo is the one he cares the most about, the one he’s always worried about hurting with his prickliness and wariness in physical contact.  He worries about Kuroo, respects Daichi, and, well, Suga hasn’t completely figured out where he falls in Tsukishima’s spectrum of feelings but he knows that Tsukishima trusts him and confides in him a lot and spends a lot of time letting Suga wriggle his way into his space.

“You may kiss me if you want to.  I can’t guarantee it’ll be anything special since Daichi’s the only person I’ve ever kissed outside of like kissing my mother’s cheek and he and I only kissed once.”  Tsukishima freezes on the other end of the couch when Suga sets his book on the coffee table and sits back comfortably.  “Your move,” he says softly.

 

Tsukishima’s lips are dry and chapped, probably from all the worrying he’s been doing over this, but they’re gentle.  It reminds Suga of that first kiss he had with Daichi, all nerves and shaking fingers and a tiny voice in the back of his head asking if this was what everyone was getting so excited over these days, especially when Tsukishima pulls away just a little bit and lets out a quiet, shaky breath.

“You can try again, if you want.  Now that your nerves are out of the way and you know I won’t suddenly rip your face off or something.”  Tsuksihima’s startled face at Suga’s words makes him laugh and the almost embarrassed flush that rushes across Tsukishima’s cheeks makes Suga lift a hand and gently rest it against the heated flesh, ready to pull back if Tsukishima stiffens or pulls away.  He doesn’t and Suga runs his thumb along the swell of Tsukishima’s cheek.  “Honestly.  Now that your nerves are a little settled about it you can try again if you’d like.”

Tsukishima’s lips are still dry and chapped but his breathing is steadier and while it doesn’t ignite a flare of passion in Suga’s bones or anything similar an overwhelming surge of fondness rolls through him when Tsukishima mirrors his action and gently cups his cheek before pulling away.

“Thank you,” Tsukishima says softly a little later when they’re back on opposite ends of the couch and Suga has his toes wriggled under Tsukishima’s thighs.

“You’re welcome.  Thank you for trusting me with your first kiss.  If you didn’t hate it it’s okay to want to do it with the others and you know they’ll respect any boundaries you put on it.”

“I know,” Tsukishima gives Suga a smile, one of his tiny eternally grateful ones that Suga is pretty sure makes angels blush and can put his own angelic smiles to shame, and Suga feels himself falling in love with Tsukishima all over again.


End file.
